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The head of Russia’s space agency said Friday that the country has not set a date for its withdrawal from the International Space Station and that the timing will depend on the status of its orbital outposts.
Yuri Borisov, head of Roscosmos State Space Corporation, told President Vladimir Putin earlier this month that the decision was made for Russia to leave the station after 2024 and concentrate on building its own orbital station.
NASA and its partners hope to keep the 24-year-old International Space Station operational until 2030, and Russia’s announcement casts doubt on that plan.
In a televised address on Friday, Borisov said Russia would begin the process of exiting the station after 2024, but the exact timing “depends on the status of the International Space Station.”
The space station, which has served as a symbol of post-Cold War international cooperation, is one of the last remaining areas of cooperation between Russia and the West amid tensions over Moscow’s military actions in Ukraine. .
Russia will withdraw from International Space Station program after 2024, chief says
Russia’s announcement fueled speculation that it was part of a Russian operation to win relief from Western sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine.
Borisov’s predecessor, Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin, said last month that Moscow could participate in negotiations on a possible extension of the station’s operations only if the United States lifted sanctions on the Russian space industry. rice field.
Mr Borisov insisted his agency’s decision had nothing to do with politics.
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“The International Space Station has enriched science with knowledge about the earth and space and has brought us all together,” said Borisov. “Such projects should be kept out of politics.
NASA officials said they had yet to hear directly from Russian officials about the issue. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson issued a statement saying that NASA is “committed to the safe operation” of the space station through 2030 and “future capabilities to ensure a primary presence in low earth orbit.” We will continue to build,” he said.